Groups of students, faculty and staff have considered the idea of a tobacco-free campus for more than 10 years. A campus wellness survey conducted in 2010 showed that 58 percent of students and 71 percent of faculty and staff supported policies to limit tobacco use.
January 2008
Syracuse University Campus Sustainability Task Force on Campus Smoking is created, comprised of faculty, staff and students. The Task Force’s final report was presented to the full University Senate and to the Administrative Operations and Services to Faculty and Staff committees.
2010
The Wellness Task Force is formed in response to a recommendation from the Sustainable Benefits Working Group effort of 2009-10. The Task Force is charged with developing a strategic plan to identify and recommend a series of wellness programs and/or pilots that will serve two important University priorities: to promote, create and support a healthier campus community and to reduce long-term health care expenditures.
Spring 2010
A grant, provided by the New York State Department of Health and administered by the Onondaga County Department of Health, supported a Colleges for Change Tobacco Advisory Committee to advocate for campus-wide reduction in tobacco use. One of the resources provided was a survey conducted at the University by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and analyzed by an outside consultant. The survey was completed in May 2010.
June 2011
The findings from the Colleges for Change Tobacco Survey are included in the committee’s final report to the Wellness Task Force.
October 2012
An ad hoc committee works to further the tobacco-free campus concept.
February 2013
A draft Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs policy is provided to senior administration.
December 2013
Senior staff reviews the proposed Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs policy with specifically identified campus constituents.
October 2014
Brooke Levandowski, a consultant to the University, holds several focus groups with faculty, staff and students to garner feedback on the proposed tobacco-free campus policy.